2. Attend & be present in as many sessions as you can possibly attend! DO NOT MISS ANYTHING. Specifically, look for the sessions that pull you out of your comfort zone and will challenge you on a personal & professional level. See the full schedule here and meet the speakers here. This year catch Molly Bloom on the main stage sharing the story of “the most exclusive high stakes underground poker game in the world.” 😮

Bonus: Please do not miss CAR’s #womanup on Tuesday at 2pm with Sara Sutachan, Leslie Appleton Young & Debra Trappen. See the full lineup here.

3. Have you joined the Inman Coast to Coast Facebook Group? If not join here for all the latest posts, connections and updates. Hashtag is #ICLV

4. The Party after the Party! Do I need to say anymore? This is VEGAS! Text “PARTY” to 415-818-1555 (thanks Jessie) to find out about all the parties, after-parties and events at #ICLV. We all know the real fun starts after midnight! So just ask around, jump in an Uber (download app here) or Lyft (download app here) and find out where the action is. Check your email for last-minute invites to all the happening VIP parties and events. If you still can not find the party make sure to DM Joe Schutt or Laurie Weston Davis (they will steer you in the right direction, I promise). If you are looking for the top-secret karaoke party then there is only one name you should know 👉🏼 Notorious.

5. Lobbycon! You have heard all the rumors and it is true! You will find everyone in The Aria’s Lobby Bar (open until 2am) and this is the spot where you will meet the CEO’s, Founders, Presidents, movers & shakers all just “hanging out.” Bring your selfie stick & business cards and make sure to say hi. BTW, when is the next time you will be in the same hotel with folks like Brad Inman, Sherry Chris, Sharran Shrivatsaa, Rich Barton, Glenn Kellman, Robert Refkin, Glenn Sanford, Ryan Gorman, Eric Wu, James Dwiggins, Joel Singer, Leslie Appleton Young & Josh Team.

7. Stay fit and drink a ton of water. It will be over 100 degrees the whole week we are in Vegas and you will be eating, drinking & sitting in a lot of sessions. Please make sure to stay mentally & physically fit at the hotel gym, or find the local SoulCycle, OrangeTheory, CrossFit Gym, TopGolf or 24 hour fitness. If you are still alive midweek there is a group hitting SoulCycle at The Wynn on Wednesday morning at 7am.

8. Ambassadors. These are the ones who will lead us through
the first ICLV. Joe Schutt & Laure Weston Davis have
been “in charge” of this program for years now and if you have a
question about anything ICLV these are the folks to ask. Have you met them? If
not connect with them here.

🔥If you made it this far and are headed to #ICLV please find me in one of the sessions, lobbycon or at one of the after-parties. I would love to connect with you and hear your story.

Marketing is all about story telling – Stories stir emotions in us, create connections, and motivate us to act. In real estate marketing, we must learn to listen to our clients, hear them, understand them, and push THEIR story out into the market place. We are telling their story, not ours. The practice of using “beautiful design to evoke emotion” is what helped launch Raj Qsar and The Boutique Real Estate Group into a massive success. Raj felt so strongly about the need for unique design work in his company that his first hire was a graphic designer. Today, Raj is expanding his company, developing his high end branding, continuing his extensive and wildly famous listing videos, and traveling the world speaking for Inman. Tune into this special episode to learn how important it is to market with intent, and to not only listen to what others are doing, but WATCH what they are doing.

You can not make this stuff up! If you have 60 minutes then please hit the play button. If you know Keith Saarloos or Raj Qsar you will not want to miss this epic LOVE FEST! Two guys who are doing something they are NOT supposed to be doing. I will personally call this episode Passion in a Bottle Part 2.

Honored to have been recognized by Kitcast!blog as one of the 10 creative real estate ads they loved in 2018!

Check out our honorable mention and some other favorites below!

Real estate has always been a market with great advertising opportunities – companies often get highly creative to win over hearts and wallets of the customers. As the end product is very visual, marketers have a set of unlimited possibilities to present their properties in the best way possible. 2018 has seen some of the coolest and most original campaigns in the real estate world, here are our 10 favorite real estate ads.

The Boutique Real Estate Group listings

Listings are at the core of the real estate advertising. Sometimes, though, the quantity doesn’t equal quality. This Orange County-based real estate firm crafts visually spectacular videos and shows the right way of doing listing videos doing real estate ads that work. Their shorts are filled with gorgeous scenery, flawless camera work, great storytelling, and crazy rhythm.

Douglas Elliman – Show and Tell

Inspired by the “Questions” YouTube series of Vogue, Show and Tell follows the same concept but very cleverly applies it to the real estate industry. If Vogue follows celebrities around asking questions about themselves, Douglas Elliman uses the format to showcase their agents and properties in a visual, non-intrusive and lively manner. A brilliant idea and an amazing execution that works as both real estate Facebook ads and a YouTube video.

Corcoran – Be Home campaign

One of the most vivid players on US real estate market Corcoran chose a simple message behind their latest campaign. It is centered around the phrase “Be home” which radiates good vibes and makes you feel the coziness instantly. There are several videos that follow this concept showing the clearest and the most uncomplicated ways of broadcasting the warm notion of “homely feeling” to the viewers. Definitely a campaign to learn from.

Sotheby’s International Realty – LIVE series

Sometimes you have to give the client all the talking to convey and amplify your brand’s message. That’s exactly what Sotheby’s International Realty did in their LIVE YouTube series. The real estate powerhouse produced a set of shorts featuring real people and real houses. We believe in the power of honest marketing and this campaign hits all the right notes being one of the most truly catchy real estate ads.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – #Goodtoask campaign

Storytelling is essential for a successful marketing campaign. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices mastered the craft of making a trustworthy story in their ads, a story that resonates and touches the hearts and minds of the viewers. For their latest #goodtoask campaign they opted for an interesting format: a client answers the questions from a real estate agent. Combine that with a dramatic narrative and a great soundtrack and you have one of the most emotionally powerful and best real estate ads of 2018.

Tim Smith Group – Teach Me How To Duffy

How many real estate firms that became a part of pop culture you know? Well, here’s one that made a sensation on YouTube in October 2018. “Teach me how to Duffy” video by Tim Smith Group from Orange County, California is a perfect example of how you can use trends to showcase your company, your culture and ultimately become a cultural happening in your own right. The video features Mr. Swag and Smoove da General of Cali Swag District that hailed the original “Teach Me How To Dougie” back in 2010 as well as a trio of influencers that add a modern flair to a hit. Did we mention that Tim Smith himself makes a cameo rapping about the property? Pure YouTube gold.

Finally, we make sure that all the real estate brokerages who made the final 30 have a great social media presence based on subjective variables, including the following:

• Brand image (quality of graphic design, pictures, videos)
• Value of content (how useful the content is to followers)
• Content mix (the mix of different types of posts)

With that being said, let’s get into the top list! Enjoy!

#30: SelectRE Boston – Real Estate Brokerage Firm

Do you want a brokerage that’s a 100% honest with you, who knows the ins and outs of the Boston real estate, and someone who instantly responds back to your inquiries? Well, look no further and say hello to SelectRE Boston. One thing we admire about them is their Facebook page. They update it each day with articles or new listings. If you like what you see, don’t be hesitant to contact them!

#29: The Keyes Company

The Keyes Company is a real estate company that possesses a sea of information based on real estate. They believe that their business is more than just about real estate and treat all of their clients like their family. Their goal is to meet all of their clients’ real estate wants and needs and to make sure to do just that for each one of them! Check out their social media pages and you won’t regret it!

#28: Hatch Realty

Hatch Realty is a real estate brokerage you should check out, especially if you live in North Dakota. For the people who have used Hatch Realty’s services, they have been nothing less than pleased, and this shows on their Facebook page, which has 146 5-star ratings out of 149 total reviews. Check out Hatch Realty on all of their social media accounts now!

#27: Nexus Realty International

Providing quality representation in residential and commercial real estate, Nexus Realty International is known for their great customer service team and sales team all over the globe. They actively update their pages with new posts/content. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your dream home with them.

#26: Gad Realty NYC – A New York Real Estate Brokerage

Gad Realty NYC is not only a top real estate brokerage but a unique brokerage as well. Gad Realty operates in New York City and is multilingual with its agents being fluent in Chinese, English, French, Hebrew, Italian, and Spanish. They also offer career advice and tips, along with blogs on their website and decor services for apartments. Check out Gad Realty NYC!

#25: Cityscape

From Toronto, Ontario in Canada, Cityscape is a top brokerage on social media. Cityscape has over 50 years of experience in the business and you should check out their social media for promos, blogs and other resources which can also be accessed from their mobile app.

#24: Pacific Union Real Estate

Pacific Union Real Estate is an established brokerage that believes in providing their clients with international reach. They have over 1,700 real estate agents service clients everywhere. If you want to see some aesthetically pleasing photos of homes, check out their social media pages!

#23: Howard Hanna New York

Being around since 1957, Howard Hanna New York has grown exponentially even being listed as one of the largest real estate brokerages back in 2015. Being an established real estate firm for almost 60 years, they have been able to quickly grasp how to market effectively using social media. They’ve accumulated a total following of over 180,00 people on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Judging by this, they aren’t newbies to social media.

#22: City Living Detroit

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home, City Living Detroit has the experience and expertise to handle all of your real estate wants and needs. Their mission is to utilize the skills and knowledge possessed by their team of real estate professionals to the best of their ability and to assist other in the process. They are a great team to work with and you can see this on their social media pages!

#21: EWM Realty International

EWM Realty International was founded in 1964 and has been selling some of Florida’s most gorgeous real estate properties. Their team consists of true professionals who understand the real estate trends in Florida like no other. Professionalism, excellence and integrity are just some of the amazing qualities which they are recognized for, as well as their social media presence!

#20: Royal LePage Canada

Royal LePage Canada is one of, if not Canada’s most popular real estate brokerage with an organization of over 17,000 real estate agents. They have a very resourceful website that contains real estate news, reports, surveys and more to keep you updated with real estate business in Canada. Check out Royal LePage on social media if you’re interested in purchasing or selling a home in Canada.

#19: ERA Real Estate

Go check out ERA Real Estate’s Facebook! They update us with constant content about everything from videos, blogs, photos and more. You will surely be inspired to purchase in New Jersey after visiting their social media pages.

#18: Beycome

Beycome is a real estate company in Miami, Florida. They make it possible to list homes on the same sites real estate agents use, even if you are selling privately. They are great at updating their followers about their improvements and accomplishments frequently on social media. They really expand your outreach when selling your own home.

#17: The Canadian Real Estate Association

Although not a brokerage but an association, The Canadian Real Estate Association represents more than 100,000 real estate agents across Canada. CREA is an important organization that connects real estate agents from coast to coast and connects agents with clients from all across the country. They are leaders in the social media world as they have over 47,000 followers in total. This is the way to go!

#16: Cushman & Wakefield

The Cushman & Wakefield team is a team of dedicated and passionate real estate agents that strive to create a positive impact in their clients’ lives by providing them with an amazing and unforgettable real estate experience. They aim to be a responsible partner to their clients. Their experience, devotion and love for their career makes them an awesome candidate for when you’re looking to purchase real estate.

#15: Houlihan Lawrence

With gorgeous photos of residential properties, Houlihan Lawrence’s social media accounts should definitely be on your following list. We are sure once you start following them, you won’t be able to get your eyes off the beautiful home interior photos they have on their Facebook feed!

#14: BOND New York Real Estate

BOND New York Real Estate is one of the largest real estate companies in New York. Their Facebook feed consists of intriguing real estate related blogs and Instagram feed offers absolutely beautiful pictures of homes and condos in New York. They’re social media pages are definitely pages you don’t want to miss out on. So, what are you waiting for?

#13: La Rosa Realty

With nearly 100,000 followers on social media and being one of the top 75 Residential Real Estate firms in the United States, La Rosa Realty must be doing something right! Their social media pages are all about highlighting their agents, giving you an inside look at what happens in the company and inspirational posts, which are guaranteed to get you inspired.

#12: HUD Homes USA

With thousands of followers on social media, you know HUD Homes USA are social media experts. Based in the gorgeous Agoura Hills, California, their feed is quite patriotic to say the least!

#11: William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance

What’s unique about William Raveis is their detailed property listings that include all the information you would need about a property. Their listings are not only detailed, but also absolutely breathtaking. That’s why their social media pages should certainly be checked out.

#10: Cervera Real Estate

Cervera Real Estate is a Florida based family owned and operated real estate company. Their real estate agents are professional, knowledgeable and hard working! They are known for selling some of the most stunning real estate in South Florida and have also managed to sell over 50,000 units. If that’s not amazing then we don’t know what is! Check their social media pages out!

#9: The Boutique Real Estate Group

The Boutique Real Estate Group have thousands of followers on social media, and their feed is filled with ethereal and unreal photos of properties in California. They promise to give the best service to all of their clients and have won a number of awards as real estate influencers, and we totally admire that!

#8: RE/MAX

With over 276,000 followers, RE/MAX is an extremely popular real estate brokerage and if you haven’t already visited their social media pages, you’re missing out. RE/MAX operates worldwide and has been one of the top brokerages in the US and Canada since 1999 and also serves internationally. Check out RE/MAX’s website for more information!

#7: Keller Williams Realty

Keller Williams Realty is a popular and well known real estate real estate company that works towards providing clients with easy and stress free real estate experiences. The company began in 1983, so they definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to real estate. They also have a popular social media page which is followed by over 100,000 followers!

#6: Coldwell Banker Real Estate

The legendary brokerage Coldwell Banker is over 100 years old and is one of the top brokerages with over 385,000 followers on social media. Coldwell Banker’s services have been excellent and several top real estate agents from our previous blogs have in fact been a part of this brokerage. Coldwell Banker also has well designed websites for their main page, and their luxury real estate page which you should check out for listings and glamorous properties.

#5: Magnolia Realty

Magnolia Realty delivers stunning professional photos, directing you to dream like properties. These homes in Waco, Texas are jaw-dropping, from massive pools to lavish kitchens. Take a look at what Magnolia Realty has to offer today!

#4: The Agency

The Agency is a full-service, luxury real estate brokerage company that represents clients worldwide. They are both well known and well liked by many. Their mission is to revamp and advance the experience of buying and selling real estate through collaboration, innovation, and integrity. Their team is professional and hardworking which is why they are so great at what they do!

#3: Douglas Elliman

Douglas Elliman is the fourth largest real estate company in the United States. This company has a huge following on their Instagram and Facebook pages with posts of stunning property listings, blogs and company accomplishments. Their social media pages are definitely worth checking out!

#2: Redfin

Whether you’re buying or selling a house, Redfin is the smart way to go. They incorporate great features for users buying a house, making the buyer’s life easy with listings being update every 10 minutes. If you prefer a one on one experience with a real estate agent, that’s possible too. Having an enormous following on social media, you can definitely say they are the experts you’ve been looking for!

#1: Century 21

Century 21 is a global real estate company that owns approximately 7,100 franchised broker offices worldwide. They’re actively working to improve and increase their presence in the market to make themselves prominent worldwide. The company is dedicated to provide clients with the highest quality services and always make sure to satisfy. They have over 560,000 followers on social media, which crowns them the #1 spot as the top brokerage on social media!

We hope you enjoyed our list of the Top 30 Real Estate Brokerages On Social Media in 2018!

I have been spending a ton of time on Instagram, watching videos, tutorials and just “stage 5 stalking” some super creative accounts! Insta is NOT going away and I really feel like we need to master this ever-changing platform to be successful in 2018 and beyond.

Here are a few Insta Tips to keep in mind for 2018:

1. #Hashtags 📲 They are not going away. Posts with more than 11 hashtags do better than posts with less than 11. Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post. We think posting the hashtags in the first comment is the best & most aesthetic place to put them and not in the post description.

2. Post daily to your feed and use 10-20 stories/day. This should keep you in the newsfeed and the story feed all day long.

7. A few cool apps to help you manage your page include VSCO (great filtering app), PLANN (great for watching analytics and keep up with hashtags & best times to post) and Photoshop Fix (for sizing and filtering your photos).

8. Stories, stories, stories…Instagram has added GIF’s, new fonts, filters, backgrounds and the ability to resize your photos. Its a ton of fun and a great way to learn & master the app and stay engaged.

9. Words matter. Be creative. Have a theme. And be consistent with Insta. Its a much more intimate platform and deserves your attention. Long caption? Short caption? Whatever you decide let it be you!

10. Who is stalking your account? Shoot me an email and I will show you who!! 😜

If you’ve had your website up and running for more than a few months, you’ve probably noticed something curious. You’re getting some traffic, but almost none of that traffic converts into actual leads…

What gives?

Well, to some extent this is the nature of online marketing; only a small fraction of the people who visit your site will convert. C’est la vie right?

Wrong. In 2018 there is an entire industry dedicated to using design and functionality to increase the number of conversions on your site. It’s called Conversion Rate Optimization. Or CRO for short. CRO uses data and analytics to determine design, copy, and layout changes.

1. Leverage Hick’s Law to Encourage Your Visitors to Engage

Named for British Psychologist William Edmund Hick, this law states that the more choices a consumer has, the longer it will take them to make a decision.

In a study on decision making in supermarkets, Hick set up two sample displays of jam. One had 24 flavors, and the other had only six flavors of jam.

The results showed that 60% of people stopped and sampled jam from the table with 24 flavors. However, only 6% ended up purchasing a jar of jam.

Meanwhile, only 40% of people stopped to sample jam from the table with six flavors, but an astonishing 30% ended up purchasing jam.

Applying Hick’s Law to Your Site Design

Image via Hotjar

The takeaway here should be obvious. By narrowing the number of choices your visitors have, you can dramatically increase your conversion rate.

In order to do this effectively, you need to take the time to figure out exactly what it is you want your visitors to do on each page of your site. For a landing page this might be obvious. You want them to fill out a form and give you their contact info.

For other pages on your site, the answer might not be so obvious. For example, what is the main thing you want visitors to do on your homepage? Do you want them to read the latest from your blog? Check out your brand new listings? Schedule a listing appointment?

In order to get you thinking about this, it makes sense to check out the sites of some top producing Realtors for inspiration. To get you started, here is the main page for Los Angeles luxury brokers Williams & Williams:

Okay, I know. This is an extreme example from a team that has dozens of jaw dropping eight figure listings in Beverly Hills… Of course they’re going to encourage people to look at their listings first!

Let’s look at a site on the opposite end of the spectrum that still uses Hick’s Law. Check out the homepage for Placester’s free NAR websites:

The main choices here seem to be home search, and testimonials. Since these sites are all about generating buyer leads, this makes perfect sense.

For landing pages or home value sites, Hick’s Law is even clearer. In most cases you don’t even have the option to do anything besides enter your address and contact info.

2. Use Heatmaps to Find Out What Your Visitors Really Want

One of the trickiest things to do when designing your website or landing page is figuring out where your visitors are looking for information. Even if your layout and navigation seems obvious to you, it may not be obvious to all your visitors.

Luckily, there is a clever solution to this problem. Using heatmap software, you can track exactly where your site visitors are clicking and navigating. Here’s how it works:

Sign up for a service like Crazy Egg or Hotjar and add pages from your site that you want to track. After a month or so, the software will create a heatmap showing an average of where all users navigated and clicked.

How Heatmap Software works: Heatmaps

Areas where users click or navigate to often are represented in red, while areas they click or navigate less are in yellow, green, and finally blue.

Using this data, you can tweak your layout, copy, and site colors to both improve efficient navigation, and subtly encourage your visitors to take a specific action. Depending on what you’ve decided that action is, this can mean signing up for an email list, entering their address, or browsing properties.

Here are a few common mistakes that heatmap software might uncover, and how you can fix them:

Problem
Your visitors are clicking on images or text that are not linked to anything

Solution
Consider moving your navigation, or CTA to the area they are clicking, or link the images or text in that area to a landing page or other relevant page on your site.

Image via Hotjar

Problem
Visitors are navigating and clicking on too many areas of your page and ignoring what you want them to focus on

Solution
Keep Hick’s Law in mind and simplify your page’s layout to encourage them to click where you want them to

Image via Hotjar

How Heatmap Software Works: Scroll Depth

Another useful metric that heatmap software can measure for you is scroll depth. This is the average “depth” a visitor scrolls down your page.

The same color codes used with heatmaps are used for scroll depth. Red areas are where the majority of users scroll down to. Going from red to orange, to yellow, and finally to blue where almost no visitor scrolls to.

Here’s what a scroll depth chart looks like using Hotjar:

As you can see, the percentage of site visitors who scroll down past “the fold” (the area of your website that is visible without scrolling) goes down dramatically toward the bottom of your site.

Scroll depth heatmaps can be a sobering wake up call for just how much of your website is never seen by your visitors. For example, on many pages, less than 10%(!!) of site visitors scroll down to the bottom of the page.

How to Use Scroll Depth data to Increase Conversions

The most common use for scroll depth data is for your blog posts. For example, if you have a post that’s more than say, 1,000 words, and less than 10% of your audience is getting to the end of the article, you need to make tweaks to get more people to finish the article.

Since longer articles do far better in search results than shorter articles, cutting down the length of your blog posts is not an ideal solution. Instead, break up the content of the article with images, graphs, and subheadings so people can skim the article.

People are busy and attention spans short. Letting your visitors skim an article and only read the subheading relevant to them will increase conversions.

3. Learn the “F” Pattern: Take Advantage of How People Scan Web Pages

According to eye tracking research by Nielsen Norman Group, people scan web pages and phone screens in an ‘F” pattern; they start at the top left then scan right, then down, then to the right again, then to the bottom of the article.

It ends up looking something like this on a heatmap:

Image via Instapage

While the “F” pattern is not the only way people scan article or webpages, it is the most common.

Here’s what a real estate homepage that utilizes the “F” pattern in its layout:

Screenshot: thebotiquere.com

Here’s another:

Screenshot: pearsonsmithrealty.com

…and another:

Image via: labs.hawaiilife.com

Here’s how you can take advantage of the “F” pattern on a blog post. Note where they’re placing the “Watch Live” button.

Screenshot via: inman.com

4. Make Sure Buttons and Text Boxes Are Easy to Use on Mobile

Is your website mobile friendly? If it’s not, there is a 100% chance you’re losing potential leads. According NAR’s 2017 Real Estate in a Digital Age Report 72% of home buyers used a mobile or tablet website or app in their home search. That’s a lot of lost leads…

Besides making sure the WordPress theme you’re using is responsive (aka works well on desktop and mobile) you need to pay special attention to buttons and text boxes.

In 2017, that means making your text boxes and buttons large enough even for people who are all thumbs to press. If you don’t, your leads may spend a few seconds trying in vain to get in touch with you then just give up.

Here are some of the buttons and text boxes you should pay special attention to on mobile:

Believe it or not, even the buttons you use on your CTA’s can have a huge impact on your conversion rate. Subtle changes in color, shape, and copy on your buttons can mean more leads and more closed deals.

The only problem is that the digital marketing community just can’t seem to agree on what changes exactly lead to increased conversions. That said, there are still a few rules that most marketing and CRO experts can agree on:

Orange, green, and blue buttons seem to convert the highest

Buttons whose color contrasts well with the background color convert well

They are actual buttons, not just text links!

They use specific action words in their copy- “Get My Home Value” or “Download My Free PDF” will work better than “submit” or the dreaded “click here”

They’re in a strategic place on the page- Think headline, short copy, text box, button. Also keep the “F” pattern in mind, as well as data from your heatmaps.

Here are some CTA button examples from Unbounce and Instapage that follow these principles well.

Okay, now that you’ve got some new CRO inspired design ideas for your website, the next step is to test them on you site. After all, there is no secret formula for conversion. Some changes or combinations of changes may work better or worse depending on a huge number of variables.

In order to find out which changes lead to better conversion rates, you need to use what the industry calls A/B testing (also known as Split Testing). Here’s how it works.

Whenever you make an edit to your layout, buttons, CTA’s or any copy, record your conversion rate and compare it to your previous conversion rate. In order to get a more accurate measurement, it helps to switch back and forth between changes more than once.

Once You’ve identified a change that leads to a higher conversion rate, then keep it and make another small change to the site and runt the same A/B testing. After a few iterations of this, your site should be fully optimized for conversion.

A/B Testing Landing Pages

The best thing about A/B testing with landing page software is that they serve up different versions of your landing page to different users. This is important to rule out factors like the day of the week or season that might affect conversion rates.

A/B Testing Other Pages on Your Website

If you’re not using landing page software like Unbounce, A/B testing your website is a little trickier. If you’re using WordPress, you can simply run one version of your page, record your conversion rate, then run the second version and compare the two.

Crazy Egg also offers an A/B testing platform, but you’ll have to shell out for their software to use it. With plans starting at $29 per month, it probably won’t break the bank, but manual A/B testing using WordPress edits is free. You just have to be careful about the time periods you test.

7. Use Live Chat Buttons for Visitors Who Want Instant Answers

There’s a funny paradox when it comes to lead generation. Some leads want to talk to you right away, but they don’t want to call you, and they don’t want to email… Short of sending a smoke signal, what else is there?

Enter the live chat button. Live chat buttons are small buttons that sit in the corner of your website and beckon your visitors to have their questions answered instantly. Of course some visitors will just waste your time, but some won’t…

While there are a lot of options on the market, the best live chat software will ping your phone and allow you to respond to live chat via text message. This way you can answer questions and ideally get them to call you while you’re on the go.

Real Estate Live Chat Options for 2018

Luckily, if you’re considering adding live chat to your website there are a ton of options on the market. Zendesk, LiveChat, Pure Chat, and Ready Chat are all solid options.

AI Chat Bots

Amazingly, some companies even offer programmable AI chat bots to interact with your site visitors and answer basic questions. Personally, I would avoid these solutions for now, as many of your visitors will be offended that you pawned them off on a robot…

The Bottom Line

If there’s one thing you do to your website in 2018, using CRO strategies to optimize for better lead conversion should be it. Pay attention to Hick’s Law, use heatmap software to track visitors, make sure buttons are easy to use on mobile, design them well, use live chat, and remember to A/B test your changes.

As I landed back into LAX after yet another ICNY I am again humbled and optimistic about the future of our industry. There is just something about being around so many amazing people from all over the world. I am thankful for the opportunity not only to attend but to present on multiple subjects on the main stage. From technology problem solving, to video marketing to lead generation & conversion.

Some of the most amazing conversations happen in hallways, after parties and intimate dinner convos at amazing restaurants. This is where you get time (precious time) with people who are shaping our industry. Their thoughts, ideas, and stories simply encourage me to push forward. People who have paved the way for the next generation and people who are simply up and coming and blazing their own trail.

Every year I try and take a few things with me. Things that will not only change my mindset and pull me out of my box but also instruments I can put into motion within my workspace. With that in mind, here are my top 5 takeaways from ICNY 2018.

1. One of my favorite quotes came from Rayni Williams and she said, “you have to be obsessed with this business or else you will be just average.” Let that sink in a bit.It really made me think of what we are doing day to day, minute to minute. Is it obsessed? From every phone call, text, email, handshake, signed contract, design, marketing, technology…. Are we obsessed with excellence?

2. Indy Connect is such a highlight now at ICNY. Many of these “indy’s” are not so small anymore. WE are not “mom & pop” shops working out of our neighbors’ garage! We are pushing our industry and making decisions that impact everyone. We are agile, nimble, aggressive and able to compete at the highest level on a global scale. I love what Vanessa Jones Bergmark said on Day 1 at Indy Connect, “Ignore the big boys. The revolutionary war was won by a group of scrappy independents.” OMG! #TRUTH We are quality over quantity. Depth over width.

3. This years keynote was Simon Sinek who was interviewed by Andrew Flachner with RealScout. What resonated with me was when Simon was chatting about working hard & being fulfilled, “Working hard for something we do not care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.”

4. There was a nice focus this year on coaching and being coachable. I think so many agents are just scared of the word “coach.” Maybe they do not want to open up? Maybe they do not want to dive deep into their business? But having a coach is now the norm in our industry as they are able to give and provide something just a bit different than your office manager, broker or owner. One particular session was led by Alyssa Hellman from Compass South Consulting. She said, “coaches are not a crutch, they are an asset to help you reach peak performance but you have to be coachable. You need to decide if you are committed.”

5. And rounding out my personal Top 5 for ICNY 2018 is the #womanup initiative driven by C.A.R. leader Sara Sutachan. In 2017, C.A.R. launched its Women’s Initiative. Even though the real estate industry is predominantly female, women are underrepresented in leadership positions at both the brokerage and senior management levels. The goal of C.A.R.’s Women’s Initiative is to create a community where mentors and leaders can communicate, collaborate, advocate for, and support one another. Download the white paper here. Register for the 2nd Annual Woman Up Conference Here.

Since You Made It This Far it is only fair to throw a few bonus tips out!

2. Attend as many sessions as you can possibly attend! DO NOT MISS ANYTHING. Specifically look for the sessions that pull you out of your comfort zone and will challenge you on a personal & professional level. See the full schedule here and meet the speakers here. This year…OMG 😳… Simon Sinek will be the Keynote and will be kicking off the festivities on the main stage at 8:55 am on Wednesday, January 24th. One of my favorite quotes from Simon Sinek that is totally in line with ICNY is, “Always plan for the fact that no plan ever goes according to plan.” Bonus: Please please please do not miss CAR’s #womanup on main stage on Wednesday at 11:45am moderated by Sara Sutachan.

3. Have you joined the Inman Coast to Coast Facebook Group? If not join here for all the latest posts, connections and updates.

4. The Party after the Party! Do I need to say anymore? We all know the real fun starts after 10 pm! So just ask around, jump in an Uber (download app here) or Lyft (download app here) and find out where the action is. Check your email for last minute invites to all the happening VIP parties and events. If you still can not find the party make sure to DM Chalmers or Carp (they will steer you in the right direction, I promise). If you are looking for the 🎤 top-secret karaoke party then there is only one name you should know 👉 Notorious.

5. Lobbycon! You have heard all the rumors and it is true! You will find everyone in The Broadway Lounge & Bar on the 8th floor of the Marriott and this is the spot where you will meet the CEO’s, Founders, Presidents, movers & shakers all just “hanging out.” Bring your selfie stick & business cards and make sure to say hi. BTW, when is the next time you will be in the same hotel as Brad Inman, Sherry Chris, Sharran Shrivatsaa, Joel Singer, Leslie Appleton Young & Elizabeth Mendenhall.

8. Ambassadors. These are the ones who will lead us through ICNY. Joe Schutt & Laure Weston Davis have been “in charge” of this program for years now and if you have a question about anything ICNY these are the folks to ask. Have you met them? If not connect with them here.

If you made it this far and are headed to ICNY please find me in one of the sessions, lobbycon or at one of the after parties. I am currently slotted to speak at three sessions at ICNY this year so it would be amazing to connect with you!